1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanner for reading out images. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of creating a plurality of independent image files for a plurality of scanned images by a single scanning, and an apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional scanner comprises a scan mode selecting unit, a scan driver for reading out an original image, an image display unit for displaying the scanned image, an image selecting unit for selecting one of the regions in the displayed image, and an image processing unit for editing the scanned image.
Typically, two kinds of methods have been used for scanning a plurality of originals so as to obtain each image file corresponding to each original.
As a first method, a plurality of image files are obtained by using an image processing unit. Specifically, if a user adjusts positions of the originals to be scanned on a scanner and selects a desired resolution or mode by using the scan mode selecting unit, the scan driver reads out images corresponding to the originals in response to the selected scan command. The display unit then displays the read images. A user selects desired regions in the displayed images and instructs the scanner to copy or cut out the selected regions by using the image processing unit to produce new files. The scanned images corresponding to the originals can be obtained by repeating the procedures of selecting desired regions in the images as required, and creating new files corresponding to the selected regions.
FIG. 1 shows a plurality of scanned images and a state wherein the scanned images are separately displayed in a single page. That is, FIG. 1A shows a state wherein four scanned images are displayed in a single page, and FIG. 1B shows a state wherein each scanned image is converted into new files by the image processing unit and then displayed in separate windows.
As a second method, a plurality of image files are obtained by repeating the procedures of scanning one original at a time and then individually storing it.
If there is no application program corresponding to the image processing unit, or if a user is not familiar with the image processing unit, it is impossible to create independent image files corresponding to a plurality of originals by using the image processing unit, and thus, a user must repeat the scanning over a number of times. Therefore, the scanning is performed as many number of times as corresponding to the number of originals in order to scan a plurality of originals and store them as independent images. This consumes a significant amount of time and increases the user's inconvenience due to tedious and repetitive tasks.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method to conveniently obtain a plurality of independent images from a plurality of originals, without repeating a scanning or using an image processing program to divide a scanned picture.